As we pulled away from the French Quarter and drove through the Garden District we stopped at a grocery store and got a King Cake, some local IPAs, fun flavors of local potato chips (including Cajun, of course) and a variety of local sausages, including some wonderful Andouille. We had filled up on beignets at Cafe du Monde mid-morning and it was getting on to about 1:00 and we were getting a little hungry. We drove by many restaurants beckoning us to dine but we drove on, deciding to just grab a snack from the snack bag and keep moving. We headed West and then North out of Louisiana. We were just into Mississippi when my daughter remarked that it was a shame we hadn’t had Gumbo while we were in New Orleans.
I had to agree, except for the fact that I love making Gumbo, and my family and friends enjoy my Gumbo. So I agreed to make it for dinner the day after we got back. It was worth the wait.
Our two upcoming fun Mardi Gras classes feature delicious Gumbo, along with Po-Boys and of course mouth-watering homemade Beignets! Check out the full menus for these classes (and email to register: Hemmachef@gmail.com):
2/28/22 (M) – 4:45-6:45pm – Kids Mardi Gras Class
3/1/22 (Tu) – 6-8:30pm – Fat Tuesday Feast (Adults)
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup butter
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, pasted
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2-3 cups chicken stock
½ pound Andouille sausage, cooked, crumble or diced
2 cups cooked chicken meat
½ pound okra, cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco to taste
Cooked rice
Method: Cook the flour over medium heat about 20 minutes until it begins smell a bit burnt. It won’t be at this point if you stir occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and add the butter. Stir until combined and add the onion, celery and peppers. Cook until the vegetables have softened a bit, about 10 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to burn. Add the garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook about five minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sausage, chicken and okra. Bring to a boil again. Cook 7-8 minutes until the okra is cooked through. Check to see if it needs more salt and pepper. Serve with the hot sauce over rice.